Coaxial cable connector



Dec. 3, 1963 J. G. LONG ETAL 3,112,977

COAXIAL. CABLE CONNECTOR Original Filed Sept. 30, 1958 United States Patent O 3,113,977 CAXHAL CABLE CNNECTR llames G. Long, Fairrieid, and Rocco Ji. Noschese, liowayton, Conn., amignors to llnrndy Corporation, a corporation of New York Continuation or application Ser. No. 754,3tli, Sept. Sti, 195.?. rlihis application Jan. l1, i962, Ster. No. i77,i3ii 5 Clahns. (Cl. 339-177) This invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to electrical connectors for joining together coaxial electrical conductors.

This application is a continuation of our application Serial No. 764,301, filed September 30, 1958, now abandoned.

It is highly desirable that apparatuses utilizing high electrical frequencies be coupled with the same facility with which connections of low frequency apparatus are accomplished. However, the very nature of the energy used by high frequency apparatus requires high quality transmission lines or conductors such as coaxial cable or shielded wire conductors. ln the past, electrical connectors for joining coaxial cable have been extremely complicated.

Most usually, such coaxial or shielded wire conductors were terminated by connections which required soldering the braid or outer conductors to the outer conductor elements of a terminal connector and in a similar manner soldering the inner conductor to the inner elements of the connector. rl`he termial connectors which were attached to the cable by soldering were then mated to receptacles or sockets in order to establish the eleutrical connection. The soldering of the cable to the terminal connector parts involved the handling of very small units which were joined together under awkward conditions and made the attachment of a single coaxial cable terminal tedious and time consuming. Moreover, any soldering of most coaxial cable is objectionable, for among other objections it carries the risk of heat transfer to the insulation of the cable, which is thus likely to be damaged due to the heat application, ruining the insulation and the transmission properties of the cable at the point so heated.

ln many forms of known coaxial connectors the outer conductor is coupled together by threaded metallic coupling sleeves which are at ground potential and thus the outer conductor connection is not insulated.

ln order to overcome some of the disadvantages of the above described connections, taper pin terminals have been utilized to join the inner conductor to an inner connection within a panel and the panel is joined to the other cable conductor. However, such connections require special taper pin installation and removal tools.

One of the objects of our invention, therefore, is to provide a coaxial cable connector in which the various component parts may be connected to the wire without the use of solder and then be snapped together to provide a coaxial cable or shielded wire connector which can be removed from an associated insulating housing.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved coaxial cable connector that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, which is highly eilicient in its operation, and which may be easily disassembled.

One of the features of our invention is the provision of a connector for joining coaxial cable or shielded wire transmission lines together in which the inner conductors are joined to inner contacts by mechanical means and are then snap fitted into coaxial relationship to the outer conductor contact elements which are then joined to the outer conductors of the cable. The outer contacts thus carry the inner contacts and are snap fitted within insu- 'dyliz'ii Patented Dec. 3, i963 pice lating housings. The insulating housing of the plug and receptacle portions fit together to complete the coaxial cable connection,

The above mentioned and other features and objects of our invention will become more apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view, partly in seotion, of one form of a coaxial cable connector in accordance with the principles of our invention; and

FIG. 2 is a view in cross section of an electrical connection using the coaxial cable connector of our invention.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, a coaxial cable connector is shown which comprises a plug assembly it) and a receptacle assembly i2. A coaxial cable ld, comprising an inner conductor lo and an outer conductor or shield 1S which are separated by an inner insulation 2t) and covered by an outer dielectric insulation 22, is joined to an inner female contact 24. The inner female contact or socket 2.4i has a conductor receiving portion 26 at one end for connecting it to the inner conductor lo of the coaxial cable ld. At the other end 2S of the inner female contact 2- is provided socket means for mating the inner female contact 24 with a mating pin Contact. Secured on the body of the inner female contact 24- by a shoulder 32a and an opening B2b is a retaining spring 34. "l" he inner female contact 24 is disposed within an outer male contact member 36 and insulated therefrom by a dielectric lining 37. The outer male contact 3o has a conductor contacting portion 3S at one end thereof which is here shown to be connected to the outer or shielded conductor i3 of the coaxial cable 14 by being disposed within the outer conductor 18 and having an outer malleable ring it? disposed over the outer conductor i8 of the coaxial cable 14. The outer conductor 1S is to be mechanically crimped between the outer ring iti and the conductor contacting portion 38 of the outer male contact 36. Thus, the outer conductor or shield 13 is sandwiched between the outer ring it? and the conductor contacting portion 33 of the outer male contact 36. The outer coaxial male contact 36 has at its other end i2 means to contact and engage a mating socket contact. Disposed on the body of the outer coaxial male contact 36 and between a pair of shoulders 44a and 44h is a retaining spring d6. The outer coaxial male contact 36 carrying the inner female Contact 24 is arranged for disposition within a dielectric or insulating housing 43 of the receptacle assembly l2. The dielectric housing 48 of the receptacle assembly l2 is formed with a bore Sti therethrough having a constricted portion 5l providing a front locking shoulder 54 and a rear locking shoulder 56. The retaining spring 46 has a projecting portion 46a which engages the front housing shoulder 54 while contact shoulder 44a abuts the rear housing shoulder 56; the retaining spring 46, mounted on the outer male contact 36, cooperates with the shoulders 54 and S6 to retain the coaxial cable within the housing bore 50. The front portion 52 of the housing 4S includes a plug assembly receiving portion which fits in telescopic relation with the plug assembly l0 to make electrical contact between the connector elements.

1n a similar manner the plug assembly l0 of the coaxial connector comprises an inner male contact member 53 having a conductor receiving end o@ and a mating contact engaging end 6d. A retaining spring o2 is secured on the contact body by a shoulder 63a and a recess ab. The retaininU spring has a front projection 62a and a rear projection 62h. The coaxial cable 66 includes an inner conductor 63 separated by an inner dielectric 7i) from an outer conductor or shield 72 and is covered by an outer dielectric insulation 74. The inner conductor 68 is mechanically crimped to the conductor receiving end et) of the inner male contact 5S. The inner male contact 5S is then disposed within the outer coaxial female contact 76 and separate therefrom by a dielectric lining 75 having a bore and a constriction therein providing shoulders 75a and 75h. The outer coaxial female contact '76 is shown here to have a conductor contacting portion 78 which, together with an inner ring Sd, sandwiches the outer conductor or shield 72 of the coaxial cable 66 and makes contact thereto. Ob'f'iously, the previously discussed arrangement at 33 and i-l of an inner contact portion and an outer ring may be used instead, and vice versa. The other end of the outer coaxial female contact .76 comprises a socket 32 which receives the outer coaxial male contact 3e when the connector of our invention is in use. Between the conductor contacting portion '78 and the Contact engaging portion 82 is a body portion SJ, of the outer coaxial female Contact 76 and mounted in a recess on the body is a retaining and contact pressure spring S6. he outer female coaxial contact 76 and the inner male contact S8 are coaxially disposed within a bore 39 through a dielectric housing 3S. rlfhe bore S9 has a constriction therein which may be provided by a molded-in insert gt). The insert 90 has a diameter less than the diameter of the bore S9 providing shoulders 92 and 94 which cooperate with the retaining spring mounted on the outer coaxial female contact 76 and shoulder 86h to secure the contact within the housing. The dielectric housing 38 has one end 91 designed to fit in telescopic relation to the end 52 of the housing It@ to mechanically and electrically join the outer female Contact 76 and the outer male contact 36 and mechanically and electrically join the inner male contact 5S with the inner female contact 24 and thus complete the circuits between the coaxial cable M to the coaxial cable 66.

To assemble the connector of our invention the coaxial cable 14 has the inner insulation 2t) stripped back from the inner conductor 16. The inner conductor f6 is then inserted into the conductor receiving portion of the inner female contact 24 and the conductor receiving portion 26 is crimped or indented thereto as shown by the indents 27 and 29. The inner female contact 24 coupled to the inner conductor i6 is then inserted within the outer male contact assembly 36. The outer male Contact is crimped onto a dielectric lining 37 as shown by the crimps 49. The crimps 49 maintain the axial relationship of the outer male contact 36 and the dielectric 37. Of course, other well known means may be utilized to join the dielectric 37 to the contact 3d. The dielectric 37 includes a constriction 39 forming a front locking shoulder 41 and a rear locking shoulder 43. The retaining spring 34 is provided with a tab or spiral portion 35 having a rear edge which upstands from the body of the inner female contact 2-'4 and a front edge which engages opening B2b. As the inner female Contact and retaining spring 34 are inserted within the dielectric 37 the spring 34 snaps into place as it passes the front locking shoulder dit of the constriction 39 of the dielectric 37. Rear locking projections C are provided to prevent the over insertion of the inner female contact within the dielectric 37. A iinger 35d of the retaining spring 34 extends through opening 32h of contact 24S. This finger 35d ensures good electrical contact between the inner female contact A and the inner male contact 53.

When the coaxial connector parts are coupled together, the outer male contact 36 has the outer conductor 13 of the coaxial cable M crimped between its conductor contacting portion 33 and a ring 4t). After being connected to the outer conductor 1S the outer male contact 36 is inserted into the bore 5t) in the housing 4S. The spring 46 mounted on the body of the outer male contact 36 has a portion upstanding from the body which snaps over the front locking shoulder' 54 of the housing and prevents the withdrawal of the outer male contact 36. The rear shoulder 56 of the housing cooperat s the shoulder 44a on the outer male contact 36 to prevent the over insertion of the outer male contact 36. The outer male Contact may be easily disassembled from the housing 4S by inserting a tubular shaped tool having a bore of a diameter substantially equal to the diameter o the body of the outer male contact to depress the ta portion 35 of the spring disengaging the spring from the front locking shoulder 54 of the housing s3.

ln a similar manner the inner male contact 58 and outer female contact 76 are joined to the coaxial cable 66. After the inner male Contact 58 is inserted within the outer female contact 76 with spring 62 projections 62a and 62!) engaging shoulders 75a and 75l), the outer female contact is inserted Within the bore of the housing 3S and the retaining spring 86 passes under and locks against the shoulder 92 of the insert 90. The spring S15 also presses a pressure bar 87 through an opening in the body 8 of the outer female contact 76 to ensure good electrical contact between the outer female Contact 76 and the outer male contact 3d. Through the use of a tubular tool the outer portion of the spring S6 may be depressed, disengaging the spring 36 from the shoulder 22 of the insert St@ and allowing easy disassembly of the outer female contact from its housing 38.

We have thus described our invention, but we desire it understood that it is not conlined to the particular forms or uses shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that the same may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of the invcntion and, therefore, we claim broadly the right to cmploy all equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claims, and by means of which objects ot our invention are attained and new results accomplished, as it is obvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and described are only some of the iany that can be employed to attain these objects and accomplish these results.

We claim:

1. A coaxial electrical connection, comprising: a coaxial cable having an inner and an outer conductor; a housing member having a bore therethrough; a hollow outer contact member disposed in said housing member bore, having at one end thereof a tubular extending portion and a tubular ring coaxial therewith, and at the other end thereof, means for connection to a mating Contact; said cable outer conductor being mechanically crimped between said ring and said extending portion; means, including a pair of opposed shoulders on said housing member and a pair of opposed shoulders on said outer contact member interlocking with said housing member shoulders, preventing longitudinal movement of said contact relative to said housing; at least one of said shoulders being resiliently movable transversely to the axis of said housing bore to disengage said shoulders for permitting longitudinal relative movement of said contact and said housing; a hollow insulating member, mounted within Said outer contact member, having a bore therethrough; an inner contact member, disposed within said insulating member bore, having at one end thereof a bore within which said cable inner conductor is secured, and at the other end thereof means for connection to a matin 7 contact; and interiitting means on said inner contact member and said hollow insulating member, including a resilient portion releasably interlocking said contact member to said insulating member, to prevent relative longitudinal motion therebetween.

2. A coaxial electrical connector assembly, for coaxial cable of the type having an inner and an outer conductor, comprising: a housing member having a bore therethrough; a hollow outer contact member disposed within said bore, having a tubular portion at one end thereof for connection to said cable outer conductor and means at the other end thereof for connection to a mating contact; means, including a pair of opposed shoulders on said housing member and a pair of opposed shoulders on said outer contact interlocking with said housing member shoulders, for preventing longitudinal movement of said contact relative to said housing; at least one of said shoulders being resiliently movable transversely to the axis of said housing bore for disengaging said shoulder to permit longitudinal relative movement of said housing and said contact; a hollow insulating member mounted within said outer contact member and coaxial therewith, having a bore therethrough; an inner contact member disposed within said insulating member bore, having means at one end thereof for connection to the inner conductor of said coaxial cable, and means at the other end thereof for connection to a mating contact; and, intertting means on said inner contact member and said hollow insulating member, including a resilient portion and an abutting shoulder for releasably interlocking said inner contact member to said insulating member, to prevent longitudinal relative motion therebetween.

3. An electrical connector assembly, for coaxial cable having an inner and an outer conductor, comprising: a unitary housing member having a bore therethrough including a section of reduced diameter forming a pair of opposed shoulders within said bore; a hollow outer contact member disposed within said bore, including means at one end thereof for connection to the outer conductor of said coaxial cable, and means at the other end thereof for contacting a mating contact, said contact member further including means engaging one of said opposed shoulders for preventing overinsertion of said contact into said bore, and releasable spring means engaging the other 0f said opposed shoulders for preventing inadvertent withdrawal of said contact from said bore; a hollow insulating member, mounted within said outer contact member, having a bore therethrough including a section of reduced diameter forming a pair of opposed shoulders within said bore; an inner Contact member disposed within said insulating member, coaxial with said outer Contact member and including means at one end thereof for connection to the inner conductor of said coaxial cable, and means at the other end thereof for contacting a mating contact; said inner Contact member further including means engaging one of said opposed shoulders within said insulating member bore for preventing overinsertion of said contact into said bore, and releasable spring means engaging the other of said opposed shoulders for preventing inadvertent withdrawal of said Contact from said bore.

4. The connector assembly of claim 3 wherein: said outer contact member spring means includes an inclined cam surface portion responsive to a force applied substantially parallel to the axis of said outer contact to bias said spring out of engagement with said bore shoulder for permitting withdrawal of said contact from said bore; and said inner contact spring means likewise includes an inclined cam surface portion responsive to a force applied substantially parallel to the axis of said inner contact to bias said spring means out of engagement with said insulating member bore shoulder for permitting withdrawal of said contact from said bore.

5. A coaxial electrical connector assembly, for coaxial cable having an inner and an outer conductor, comprising: a housing member having a bore therethrough including a portion of reduced diameter providing a pair of opposed shoulders within said bore; a hollow outer contact member disposed in said housing member bore having means at one end thereof for connection to the outer conductor of said cable, and means at the other end thereof for connection to a mating contact, said outer contact member further including radially projecting means toward one end thereof engaging one of said housing bore shoulders for preventing overinsertion of said contact into said bore, and radially projecting spring means toward the other end thereof releasably engaging the other of said shoulders for preventing inadvertent withdrawal of said outer Contact from said housing bore; a hollow insulating member mounted within said outer contact member and having a bore therethrough; an inner contact member disposed within said insulating member bore having means at one end thereof for connection to the inner conductor of said cable, and means at the other end thereof for connection to a mating contact; means, including a pair of opposed shoulders on said insulating member and a pair of opposed shoulders on said inner contact interlocking with said insulating member shoulders for preventing longitudinal movement of said inner contact relative to said insulating member, at least one of said shoulders being resiliently movable transversely to the axis of said bore to disengage said shoulders for permitting relative longitudinal movement of said inner Contact and said insulating member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,419,018 Gudie Apr. l5, 1947 2,536,003 Dupre Dec. 26, 1950 2,685,073 Damon July 27, 1954 2,689,337 Burtt et al. Sept. 14, 1954 2,757,351 Klostermann July 31, 1956 2,813,257 Cornell Nov. 12, 1957 2,958,845 Dupre et al. Nov. 1, 1960 3,028,575 Lazar et al. a- Apr. 3, 1962 FOREIGN lATENTS 571,900 Great Britain Sept. 13, 1945 

1. A COAXIAL ELECTRICAL CONNECTION, COMPRISING: A COAXIAL CABLE HAVING AN INNER AND AN OUTER CONDUCTOR; A HOUSING MEMBER HAVING A BORE THERETHROUGH; A HOLLOW OUTER CONTACT MEMBER DISPOSED IN SAID HOUSING MEMBER BORE, HAVING AT ONE END THEREOF A TUBULAR EXTENDING PORTION AND A TUBULAR RING COAXIAL THEREWITH, AND AT THE OTHER END THEREOF, MEANS FOR CONNECTION TO A MATING CONTACT; SAID CABLE OUTER CONDUCTOR BEING MECHANICALLY CRIMPED BETWEEN SAID RING AND SAID EXTENDING PORTION; MEANS, INCLUDING A PAIR OF OPPOSED SHOULDERS ON SAID HOUSING MEMBER AND A PAIR OF OPPOSED SHOULDERS ON SAID OUTER CONTACT MEMBER INTERLOCKING WITH SAID HOUSING MEMBER SHOULDERS, PREVENTING LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF SAID CONTACT RELATIVE TO SAID HOUSING; AT LEAST ONE OF SAID SHOULDERS BEING RESILIENTLY MOVABLE TRANSVERSELY TO THE AXIS OF SAID HOUSING BORE TO DISENGAGE SAID SHOULDERS FOR PERMITTING LONGITUDINAL RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID CONTACT AND SAID HOUSING; A HOLLOW INSULATING MEMBER, MOUNTED WITHIN SAID OUTER CONTACT MEMBER, HAVING A BORE THERETHROUGH; AN INNER CONTACT MEMBER, DISPOSED WITHIN SAID INSULATING MEMBER BORE, HAVING AT ONE END THEREOF A BORE WITHIN WHICH SAID CABLE INNER CONDUCTOR IS SECURED, AND AT THE OTHER END THEREOF MEANS FOR CONNECTION TO A MATING CONTACT; AND INTERFITTING MEANS ON SAID INNER CONTACT MEMBER AND SAID HOLLOW INSULATING MEMBER, INCLUDING A RESILIENT PORTION RELEASABLY INTERLOCKING SAID CONTACT MEMBER TO SAID INSULATING MEMBER, TO PREVENT RELATIVE LONGITUDINAL MOTION THEREBETWEEN. 